Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Red Blood - Blue Stone ❯ Chp.8// Nightmares And Akina's Face ( Chapter 8 )

A/N Well… this has been confusing. After changing the last chapter into a fancy-looking songfic, I've lost even more inspiration because no one has updated. That, and the fact that one of my favorite books, New Moon, isn't coming out for another two years. Oh, and don't forget that I haven't gotten any more bloody reviews. -Sighs- Well, don't listen to me anymore, move on with the fanfic.

People, Can you tell me if I took that last chapter too fast? If I did, comment, and tell me if I should fix it. Are the characters acting too OC? By the way, the song in rthe last chapter was `It's All Over - Three Days Grace.'

 

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/~Ed's POV~\

 

Edward couldn't even open his mouth to yell before everything shattered before him. Lights swirled in mists of gold and yellow. Ed couldn't even see his own brother, and Taka, in the middle of the circle. He tried to stagger against the light, to stop them before the gate took them… But a firm hand grabbed his wrist. Ed looked backwards to see the crazed face of Envy, staring at him with a grin full of bloodlust.

“You aren't going anywhere, fullmetal!”

 

Envy cried. Ed lashed out with his boot, sending Envy hurtling backwards, smashing through a small sapling. The little tree snapped under envy's weight. Ed turned back, the Golden light growing brighter… Like the sun. Ed's very own quote flashed across his head.

Get too close to the sun, and you'll get burned.

 

Out of nowhere, a flash of blood red electricity flashed through the gold light, staining it to a deep, malicious purple. The Rebound. Crimson crackled and danced around the rich purple. The Rebound, whose picture had haunted Edward from that terrible night. That monster that he had been so sure was their mother…would that face be replaced by Akina's? The thought was too horrible to bear. An agonized cry of pain ripped through the night.

The smaller Figure in the circle fell.

 

/~Winry's POV~\

 

Winry struggled against the light and wind that was forcing her backwards. She had to stop this. She couldn't stand back and watch this any longer. Five years ago, she hadn't had a clue. Now was different. Now she could tell, and it was, for once, in her power to stop it. The wind pushing against her suddenly grew more ferocious, as if it had read her thoughts and thought ill of her plan. Winry scrambled to regain her footing when a huge gust of wind whipped the dust up into her face. The purple light was growing fainter… and then with a crackle and a sharp snap, the light was gone… to be replaced by nothing but a faint cloud of dust. There was a moan. A cough… And then Edward called out into the silence.

 

/~ Ed's POV~\

 

“Al…?”

Ed asked, barely daring to breath let alone move forwards. He was afraid of what he would find. A spark of Anger grew inside of him, briefly eliminating the twisting fear. How could he have done this? Hadn't he learned his lesson…all those years ago? Surely he had. Edward knew that he had. The arm and leg that kept him alive was his steady reminder. He knew full well that Al would never re-do that incident…not unless…

 

“… I loved her …”

 

The words came back to Ed, freezing him in his tracks. So it was true. Al did have feelings for that girl- but could they have been so strong, that his past mistakes seemed like nothing to him? The gusts of wind began to quite down, and finally stopped, the light fading into that distant memory. The silence seemed deafening, weighing down everyone in the circle like an ever-present curse. The green haired homunculus behind Edward grinned wildly. Suddenly, the movement in Ed's legs came back, and Edward found himself running towards the circle, almost on the verge of tears. The growing feeling of loss enveloped him suddenly. Al was alive. Al was alive- he HAD to be!

 

Edward stumbled, and his legs gave way on the outer ring of the circle.

 

“ …Brother…?” A small voice asked, and Ed squinted through the clearing dust. Al's arm had been tore off. It revealed the fact that the armor was empty, but past that, Al had sustained no injuries. He could walk. Taka was on the ground, groaning and thrashing in spasms of pain. The front of his shirt was bloody, and his left arm was gone. Past that, Taka was trembling hard, as if his life was flashing before him and all he could do was watch, paralyzed, and live his nightmare. Ed knew how he felt, as if he had lost everything… his life slipping through his fingers like sand.

 

Winry slipped from the bushes, oblivious of the homunculus standing behind Edward, dangerous as ever. Ed saw that she was refusing to look at the thing. He was too. Everyone was. The pain of seeing it would surely finish them off, if Envy didn't. Winry and Edward picked up Taka, easing him out of the clearing. Guilt was looking at the ground, Rigid, on the other side of the clearing

 

As Al, Ed, Taka and Winry left, no one but Envy saw Guilt's face crumple in pain as he gazed at the thing that was now Akina.

 

/~ Winry's POV~\

 

Winry glowered at everything but Taka. This was not right- this wasn't happening. Denial was evident on her face and in her eyes. She didn't believe any off this. She would wake up soon enough- why bother, anyways? The house finally came into view, and Ed puffed under Taka's weight. Al was silent, letting the events that had just come over him sink in. Winry knew that it would be hard for him… It was hard for anyone to lose a loved one, family member or not. They finally lugged the heavily bleeding and groaning Taka onto a bed.

 

“It hurts… Make it stop…” Taka murmured, beads of sweat hanging off of his forehead. Winry saw Ed clench his teeth in frustration. Automail shouldn't have to be the answer for Taka- but what else was there? Surely that was the only thing that would keep him going… working limbs. That and the fact that an automail mechanic stood mere feet away from him. What was stopping him? Winry bit her lip, feeling fresh blood slip from the broken skin. The warm, salty liquid treated her mouth with a sour taste, and her brow creased.

 

Ed strode towards Taka, and knelt beside him. Taka opened one eye hesitantly, his jaw clenched in a determined line. Edward's gaze softened, and he began to speak quite reassurances to the boy. The tension in Taka's body fled, along with his will power. Soon he was fast asleep, his dreams haunted by screaming nightmares… of Akina and the transmutation that was supposed to be used for his parents. No 9one would know… not unless they asked.

 

Winry moved towards the boys, her eyes downcast and fixed on the floor under her. Ed never took his eyes off of the sleeping boy… so much like himself. The blood matting on the cloth binding and his shirt had dried, leaving the stain and putrid stench as a reminder. Winry sat next to Ed, watching the sleeping Boy curled up on the Bed.

 

Al sat in the corner, curled up as well, trying to put a barricade between himself and the world. Almost as if he was trying to force it all away. Will it all away… Winry noticed Al flinch every time Taka groaned in pain through his nightmare. It must have been the memory of that night. The first night that he had been alone, with no one but the mice as company. It must be so terrible for him… Having to endure both his brother's pain…

 

…and his own.

 

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